Rail-joint.



, JULIUS PIRSIG, or w s LAKE, MICHIGAN.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 19 16.

Application filed October 8, 1915. Serial No. 54,841. I I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J ULIUs PIRSIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bear Lake, in the county of Manistee and State of Michigamhave invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in means for connecting the meeting ends of railway rails, and the primary object of the invention is to construct the ends of rails with interlocking members to prevent the lateraldisplacement as well as the vertical movement of eitherof the rails and to insure a smooth and even joint. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail joint wherein the rail ends have interengaging members and wherein the employment of fish plates, nuts and bolts, or analogous securing elements are entirely dispensed with, the said rails be ing held positively against movement in any direction, but may expand in a longitudinal direction. 1

Further objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the invention is more fully understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which there is illustrated a simple and satisfactory reduction of the improvement to practice, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of two rails constructed and connected in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the connecting rails, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the rail ends, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of the co-acting rail end.

The rails are designated by the numerals l and 2 respectively. The body of the railis of the usual construction, but each of the said rails, at the end thereof has its outer face or side widened as indicated by the numeral 3 and also the webs of the rails at the inner face thereof adjacent the,

widened portions 3 are thickened as at 4, so that this portion of the web is disposed in a line with the face or side of the head of the rails.

The rail 1 is formed, at its end with a longitudinal extending tongue 5, the said tongue having its upper edge disposed a suitable distance below the head of the rail, and the outer end of the tongue is formed with a laterally extending portion providing a vertlcal head 6- The tongue 5 is disposed approximately central or in a line with the.

web proper of the rail, and. the thickened portion 3 is provided with a longitudinally.

extending slot 7 disposed parallel with the tongue 5. This slot 7 has its lower wall terminating above the base of the. rail and enters from the end of the rail through the top thereof. One of the sidewalls at the terminal of the slot 7 is cut outwardly at an angle forming the said wall with a vertie cally disposed groove 8. I

The rail 2 is provided, upon its end at its widened portion 3 with a longitudinally extending tongue 9,-the said tongue having one of its sidesat its end provided with a lateral extension forming a vertically disposed angular head 10. The upper edge of the tongue is flush with the head of the said rail but the lower'edge of the tongue terminates a distance above the base of the rail,

so that the width of the tongue corresponds with the depth of the slot 7.

The rail 2, at a suitable distance from the tongue 9, is provided with a longitudinally:

extending groove 11, the said groove being arranged parallel with the said tongue 9, and being disposed approximately central of the web proper of the rail. The slot 11 communicates with the base of the rail but terminates a suitable distance from the head of the rail, so that the depth of the slot equals the width of the tongue 5 of the rail 1. One of the side walls provided by the slot 11, at the inner end thereof, is formed with a laterally disposed angularly and vertically extending groove 12 which is adapted to receive the head 6 of the tongue 5 when the rail 2 is elevated above and lowered over the said tongue 5 of the rail 1. In thus arranging .the rails it will be noted that the tongue 9 The particular and peculiar arrangement i of the heads received within the grooves in the slots and the arrangement of one of the tongues above the other tongue provides a strong and effective joint which will en tirely obviate. the sinking of the rails at the joint, as well as preventing the lateral or,

vertical movement of the joint. The heads of the tongues are loosely received in the grooves so that provision is made for the expansion and contractionofthe rails. The longitudinal edges of the rails are notched,

as indicated by the numerals 1,41, spikes 1 5,

a such invention appertains without further 15 detailed description. I

' Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In a boltless rail joint, two alining rails, each being widened upon its outer face at its end and having its web, atits said end, thickened uponits inner face, eachoffsaid rails having a straight tongue projecting from its end and which has its side at one of its corners formedwith' abeveled hen larg'en ent which providesa head, e'ach of said rails .being formed with an inwardly extending straight slot to receive the tongue of theother rail, and each of said slots at its inner end having one of its side walls formed with an angular depression to receive the head of the referred to tongue, the

second rail communicating with the head of the said rail and the upper edge of the tongue of the said second ,rail be'ing arranged above thelower wall of the of the said second rail.

' Intestimo'ny whereof I my signature in presenceof two witnesses. "JULIUS PIRSIG. Witnesses:

" GUs P RsIG, A. J. ER

copies lot this patent may be obtained for. five cents each, by addressing the rco mmi ssioner or Patents,

" washin ton,n.c."' 

